+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thirteen Original Colonies

For Teachers 5th - 12th
An outstanding lesson on the Thirteen Original Colonies, and the settling of Pennsylvania by William Penn is here for your learners. Valuable discussion takes place regarding how the colonies were settled, and some excellent handouts are...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Colonial Life in the Late 1700s: Distant Cousins

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners research how early colonists lived. They investigate late 17th century colonist's lives from Massachusetts and Delaware. Using their research, students write historical fiction in the form of friendly letters between the two...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Colonial Vacation Planner

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Looking for a good lesson on the Colonial Period for your upper-elementary class? Then, this lesson is for you! They use website designs, U.S. travel publications, and maps to plan a family vacation to states which were part of the...
+
Lesson Plan
Center for Literacy and Disability Studies

Slave Resistance

For Teachers 8th Standards
How did colonial enslaved people in America struggle to defend themselves and maintain their African heritage?
+
Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Loyalists and Patriots

For Teachers 5th - 10th Standards
Your young historians will square off as Loyalists dedicated to the English crown or revolutionaries fighting for a new nation in a role-play of a colonial town hall debate before the American Revolution.
+
Lesson Plan
University of North Carolina

American Revolution: Events Leading to War

For Teachers 8th
After learning about the growing revolutionary sentiment among colonists, class members work in small groups or pairs to design a political cartoon.
+
Unit Plan
1
1
Core Knowledge Foundation

Colonial Towns and Townspeople Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology

For Teachers K Standards
A read-aloud anthology focuses on colonial towns and townspeople. Over three weeks, young scholars listen to stories, participate in discussions about town life, practice word work, and complete an extension activity with each lesson.  
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

America’s Early Colonies: John Smith and Jamestown, Va

For Teachers 7th Standards
John Smith's 1616 letter to Queen Anne of England offers ELLs an opportunity to learn about a bit of early American history. The four-page packet includes the full text of the letter. In addition, the packet includes a worksheet that...
+
Interactive
Mr. Nussbaum

American Revolution

For Students 5th - 6th Standards
An interactive practice challenges scholars to read an informational text and answer 10 questions. The topic of the passage is the American Revolution.
+
Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Early American Settlements

For Teachers 11th Standards
What brought settlers from Europe to North America? By exploring primary sources, such as posters seeking recruits for the new lands, class members take a deeper look at these motivations. To finish, they present their findings to...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
Memorial Hall Museum

Dedham Deed

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Class members examine primary source documents that expose the contrasting views of land ownership between the Pocumtuck and English settlers.
+
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Colonial Tea Parties

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Most people know of the Boston Tea Party, but it was only one of similar protests throughout the colonies. Using a case study from Maryland, learners explore primary sources, including images and newspaper accounts of similar tea...
+
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Pontiac's War

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Invaders are coming: fight them off or run? Native American peoples had to decide this question after British colonists went west following the French and Indian War. Using a speech from Chief Pontiac, young historians consider if they...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

The Revolutionary Times as Seen Through the Eyes of Women

For Teachers 8th Standards
The role of women before and during the American Revolution changed dramatically. To gain an understanding of these changes, middle schoolers analyze primary source documents, including letters from women that supported the patriot cause...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

The Battle of Trenton

For Teachers 8th
The Continental Army's victory at the Battle of Trenton marked a turning point in the American Revolution. Young historians examine maps, read primary source materials, and create a timeline of events to understand why the victory was so...
+
Handout
Plimoth Plantation

History In A New Light: Illuminating the Archaeology of Historic Patuxet and Plymouth

For Students 4th - 12th Standards
Sixty-seven pages take scholars on a digital tour through the exhibit, History in a New Light: Illuminating the Archaeology of Historic Patuxet and Plymouth. Crystal clear pictures accompanied by text offer a deep understanding of the...
+
Interactive
DocsTeach

To Sign or Not to Sign

For Teachers 6th - 8th
To sign or not to sign, that is the question. Scholars review the Declaration of Independence and discuss the Framers' decisions for signing the document. The activity uses primary text, a worksheet, and group discussion to help...
+
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Empire and Identity in the American Colonies

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The American Revolution was born out of a European conflict that spilled over into North America—and the documents prove it! Using primary sources from the era of the French and Indian War, including British plans to try to unite its...
+
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Pilgrim and Wampanoag Daily Life for Grades 6–8

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Two slide shows, viewed side-by-side, permit middle schoolers to compare and contrast the lives of the Pilgrims of the Plimoth colony and the Wampanoags. Four videos take learners on virtual field trips to the Plymouth plantation. And an...
+
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Pilgrim and Wampanoag Daily Life for Grades 3-5

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Thirteen steps make up a lesson that challenges pupils to compare and contrast the daily lives of Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe. Learners revisit the Graffiti Wall then break into small groups for an investigative reading assignment...
+
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

The First Thanksgiving Feast for Grades 3-5

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Scholars examine the first Thanksgiving through books and interviews while they complete a KWL chart. Pretending they are part of the feast, learners craft a scrapbook page that features images related to their experience. Pupils reflect...
+
Lesson Plan
PBS

Free, but Not Free: Life of Free Blacks Before the Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 11th Standards
Using the family stories of a famous comedian and singer-songwriter, learners consider what life was like for African Americans who were enslaved and free before the Civil War. To complete a concluding activity, they write about the...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Myth and Truth: The First Thanksgiving

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Encourage learners to think critically about common myths regarding the Wampanoag Indians in Colonial America. They discover that behind every myth are many possible explanations—and that learning more about American history helps them...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Word Choice: Using Academic Vocabulary to Apply for a Colonial Trade Job

For Teachers 4th Standards
Scholars reflect upon colonial jobs such as a blacksmith, cooper, shoemaker, etc. Together, the class writes a job application as a practice for working independently. Learners employ their experience in writing a job application for a...